Columbus Parks and Rec honored with national award | News

COLUMBUS, GA - Two Columbus Parks and Recreation programs have received awards on the national level.

The National Association of Counties has awarded the programs with Achievement awards. This honor recognizes innovative county government programs.

The first program is Empty Bowl. This is an international grassroots effort adopted and implemented in Columbus to fight hunger. Craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls.Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.

The second is The Princess Within. This program is a summer camp that focuses on empowering and motivating girls by creating activities and workshops that counteract the many issues young ladies face like depression, weight, self-esteem, bullying and peer pressure. The program also focuses on cultivating leadership skills necessary to develop responsible future leaders.

Columbus Parks and Recreation Director Dr. James Worsley said, “This is quite an honor. Our department has come a long way in a short period of time. It is wonderful to see our hardworking employees and community getting this type of national recognition.”